Motorsports community mourns passing of Humpy Wheeler

Humpy Wheeler, whose innovative ideas as the longtime president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway revolutionized the fan experience and racing, passed away Wednesday. He was 86.

Bruton Smith hired Wheeler in 1975 to oversee Charlotte Motor Speedway and Wheeler held that position until his retirement in 2008.

During that time, he oversaw the lighting of the track so it could host the 1992 All-Star Race at night, a trend other tracks followed. He oversaw legendary pre-race shows from military exercises to daredevil shows and Robosaurus.

He also was a confidant to many drivers and encouraged them to show more personality to better connect with fans.

In 2007, Wheeler came up with a list to make the racing better then. The list included awarding more points for victories, awarding more points for leading laps, put more money into race purses and add a halftime break to races

“People don’t buy a ticket just to see the last 10 laps of the race, they buy a ticket to see the whole race,’’ he told the (Greensboro, N.C.) News and Record in 2007.

Wheeler’s ideas may not have all been embraced by the sport, but they helped push NASCAR forward at the time.

NASCAR CEO Jim France said in a statement:

“Humpy Wheeler was a visionary whose name became synonymous with promotion and innovation in our sport. During his decades leading Charlotte Motor Speedway, Humpy transformed the fan experience through his creativity, bold ideas and tireless passion. His efforts helped expand NASCAR’s national footprint, cement Charlotte as a must-visit racing and entertainment complex and recently earned him the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s prestigious Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

“On behalf of NASCAR and the France family, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Wheeler family and all who were touched by his remarkable life and legacy.”

Others in the sport shared their memories of Wheeler.